Sunday, January 13, 2008

Bonjour!

I am officially in Dakar! I made it in (with all of my luggage!) sometime around 5am local time (midnight for you folks back home).

Senegal is beautiful - there are lots of pretty colours and flowers everywhere. It's great weather here too - in the 70s with a really nice breeze.

Our program coordinator (I think that's her title anyway), Elizabeth met us (Rebecka and I) at the airport. We waited in the bus until another flight with more CIEE students came in around 6am. Then we crammed all 21 of us (17 students plus Elizabeth plus our bus driver) and all of our luggage into this little bus (kind of like a hippie van actually...). I'll try to upload a picture later.

We are all staying at a hotel for the week. I think there's something like 47 students total... all girls except for 5 guys.

There are goats on the roofs of the houses next to the hotel. I can see them from our room and they are VERY LOUD. They like to talk a lot.

We had to carry all of our luggage up 2 flights of steps.

Some of us went exploring a bit and walked to where our classes are going to be. We also went to the ATM and got some CFAs (the local currency here). Their money is colourful and very beautiful unlike the plain green American dollars.

It's not even noon here yet but I'm already exhausted. We're going to head off to get some lunch soon and then probably crash for the rest of the evening.

Oh, and we managed to find a wireless connection on the top floor of the hotel, which is how I'm writing to you now.


Sorry this was so random - I'll try to be more structured in the future.

Jam Ak Jam,
Kelly

6 comments:

B.Mullett said...

Glad you made it to Africa okay.Hope you can get some shuteye and thanks for letting us know.Love, G&G Mullett

Keith said...

Thanks for the text message last night. It was greatly appreciated. Sounds like you are having fun exploring and such. Goats on the roof...........well that is interesting. I am sure that in a few days their noises will sound normal to you. I know you must be exhausted. The trip alone would be draining. Sleep well....
And I have to be a mother and say that tomorrow is Monday.....Malaria pill Monday. (Just thought it would be easy to loose track of what day it is). Love you bunches.
Mom
PS Everyone at church is asking about and praying for you.

Katie said...

Kelly dear,

I'm glad you made it in ok, you were in my thoughts and prayers during your flight. Don't worry about being random...that's what makes it interesting! Goats on the roof...that's pretty crazy. Hopefully Jeremy and I will get the skype thing goin in the next couple of days. I hope you are having an amazing start to your journey. We are all thinking about you.
Love you,
Katie :)

thatguyzach said...

glad to hear you had safe safari to Senegal! In Tanzania they call the small buses that everyone crowds onto Dalla Dalla's -- and they give them names. Travelers are advised never to ride a dalla dalla named Hells Fury or No Fear or Sudden Death, etc.

I'm sure while you spend time in country you're going to learn all the interesting animal noises we don't get in suburbia. Goats and Chickens and the such. My least favorite of sounds however was the 5am call to prayer by the Muslims. Every day.

Listen to your mother and take your malaria medication, my friend Luke (who grew up in Africa) says there are two stages to Malaria, step one is when you think you're going to die, step two is when you wish you would.

I love you Kelly! Treat Mother Africa well, she has much to teach you. God Bless!

-Zach

thatguyzach said...

p.s. -- Just noticed Katie's post re: Skype. I'm an active skype user (zachrandall) and am on a lot. if you plan on using the service add me and we can keep in touch!

Dannielle said...

I am so glad that you made it safe... Don't worry about the structure of your blog... I like hearing the random things. Hope you are getting used to the goats. How far are you from your classes?